BTC
+0.39%
77,585.00
USD
▲
MXN ≈ 1,317,843
theguardian.com
‘Too little, too late’: Critics perplexed and suspicious of AI leaders’ call for a slowdown
From the Trump administration to AI experts, plans by the Anthropic boss to boost safety have spawned a largely negative responseOpenAI boss and Elon Musk back slowdown on ‘reckless’ AI developmentEditorial: controlling AI – humanity cannot outsource its survivalThe safety debate that ignited when whistleblowers last week warned that the most advanced AI poses an existential threat to humanity should come with a health warning: side effects include whiplash. It was only seven days ago that AI enthusiasts were cheerily toying with OpenAI’s newest model GPT-6 Astra which was marketed in part as a lifestyle tool to help people book tennis courts, run fashion companies and order takeaways.By Wednesday, cutting edge AI started to look a lot less appealing when the resigning Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon warned “the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade”. Yes, he was talking about artificial super-intelligence – an as-yet-nonexistent version of the technology that outcompetes humans in most domains – but his comments, and the chorus of experts that echoed him, jangled plenty of nerves. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Anthropic's Amodei says China presents 'toughest dilemma' for his proposed AI slowdown
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis, the chair of Google DeepMind, and Elon Musk have all welcomed Amodei's proposal.
cnbc.com
Xi says China will take lead to foster AI, tech cooperation among BRICS countries
China will take the lead to help foster artificial-intelligence collaboration and development among developing-economy countries, President Xi Jinping said.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on the government’s corporate reforms: entrenching neoliberalism, not ending it | Editorial
A recent consultation on corporate reporting prizes the interests of shareholders over society. It’s a step in the wrong directionThe question of what corporations are for is deeply political. In a 1970 article for the New York Times, Milton Friedman argued that the “social responsibility of business is to increase its profits”. The idea that CEOs should worry about providing good jobs was “pure and unadulterated socialism”, he wrote. Friedman and his fellow neoliberals saw companies as vehicles for enforcing their politics. Their ideas endured: UK bosses are now paid 130 times more than average workers.Despite Andy Burnham’s pledge to end neoliberalism, a 12-week consultation recently launched by his government risks entrenching it. The consultation was first announced as part of the Starmer government’s crusade against “red tape”. The average annual report for some businesses now runs to 98,000 words, and no doubt there are areas that could be simplified. But the consultation proposes removing vital information and presumes that company reports primarily serve shareholders, rather than other stakeholders. Both are steps in the wrong direction. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
AI staff 'genuinely frightened' for humanity's future, ex-Anthropic researcher tells BBC
It comes as the AI firm's boss has called for the technology's development to be slowed down, citing "serious" risks.
theguardian.com
OpenAI boss and Elon Musk back calls to put brakes on ‘reckless’ AI development
Rare show of unity from rival developers after safety warnings from Anthropic boss and AI researchersThe Guardian view on controlling AI: humanity cannot outsource its survivalSam Altman and Elon Musk have backed a call from the head of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, to “slow the pace” of AI development after he warned that an AI swarm could otherwise become capable of “taking over the entire internet” within a year.In a rare show of unity, the rival technology leaders threw their weight behind the appeal from the founder and chief executive of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, which came after a series of warnings from AI researchers last week. Amodei also called for safety co-ordination with China. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A joyful harvest: the young Welsh farmers growing food for Birmingham
A charity in Powys provides the land while growers do the hard work, producing bumper crops for city childrenKilos and kilos of courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and salad leaves are ripe and ready for picking on a small Welsh farm in the rural county of Powys.The haul being harvested by Tilly Gomersall is not just impressive after a difficult growing season hit by a record string of heatwaves and drought across all of Wales and most of England, but all the more remarkable given that 18 months ago the site was uncultivated pasture. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Vessel struck in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says, as prospects for U.S.-Iran diplomacy appear elusive
The latest strike happened ahead of an expected meeting between Iranian and Gulf officials in Oman to sign an agreement for shipping through the strait.
theguardian.com
Surging inflation puts interest rates back in focus as policymakers meet in Japan, US and UK
Iran war and turbulent global bond markets add to pressure as rate decisions loom this week in major western economiesEconomics viewpoint: perilous UK economic conditions trace back to TrumpCentral bankers in economies including the US, Japan and the UK will face a moment of truth this week, as surging inflation raises the prospect of higher interest rates.Policymakers in all three countries will set rates in the next seven days against the backdrop of turbulent global bond markets. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
OpenAI rules out IPO this year as Altman, Musk & Amodei warn AI is moving too fast
Altman's IPO comments and Amodei's public call for more careful pacing of AI development cap a week of loud AI warnings.
theguardian.com
Why is the Trump administration calling bike lanes ‘DEI’? | Dave Schilling
The government apparently has an issue with paths for cyclists. Take it from someone who can’t ride a bike: this makes no senseI’m out of gas. Not metaphorically. Literally, my car has the barest minimum amount of fuel in it. This is not because I like to live dangerously, a la the great literary hero Austin Powers, but because gas is more expensive than ever. I have nowhere to be today, so I’m allowing my car to sit idle, empty and alone, lest my bank account disappear into the Phantom Zone of negative balance. If things get sticky, I can take public transit or, God forbid, ride a bike.Except I can’t ride a bike, thanks to my parents, who were too busy doing more important tasks than teaching me, like arguing or falling asleep. But for many Americans, riding a bike is a perfectly normal thing to do. Am I humiliated that one of the many basic skills for life that I don’t know is considered so simple that it became a common idiom for something that’s easy? Yes, of course. I don’t live dangerously, I live humiliatingly. Humiliation is my middle name. Dave Humiliation Schilling. Go on, point and laugh at the photo of me in this article. Get it out of your system so we can move along.Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Trump accounts’ promise to mint child millionaires. Experts have their doubts
President has hyped growth of federal investment accounts to help US children – for his own political gainSince returning to the White House, Donald Trump has scrapped rules that made childcare more affordable and pushed to cut funding for the nation’s public schools. But with midterm elections fast approaching and his approval ratings very low, the US president has repeatedly trumpeted a two-month-old program designed to help the nation’s children. That program, unhumbly named “Trump accounts”, calls for the federal government to give a one-time $1,000 seed deposit to every newborn whose family applies.In campaign speeches this summer, Trump has sought to milk these accounts for maximum political advantage, making big promises about how much these accounts will help the nation’s children. In a speech in Las Vegas last month, Trump hailed the program, saying: “It’s really giving [children] a head start on the American dream… They start off with $1,000 … and they can end up with $100,000, $200,000, $300,000” and if the stock market booms, “you’d end up with $1m”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Many professionals take continuing education. Let’s add etiquette classes | Gene Marks
This type of training is needed now more than ever, as the American workplace gets more and more diverseAs a certified public accountant, I’m required to earn at least 80 hours every two years of continuing professional education credits. Many other professions and trades, including lawyers, healthcare professionals, engineers, electricians, plumbers and certain contractors, have similar requirements. It’s a good idea.These professional requirements often also include ethics training. That’s a good idea too. But just getting a refresher on ethics isn’t enough. Something else is needed – something that’s even more important: etiquette. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
AI will transform capitalism – but how?
Technology is going to drastically reshape the economy, and it’s within our power to decide what that looks likeThe idea that autonomous, thinking machines may one day destroy property, hierarchy and inequality is as old as western political thought. In Aristotle’s Politics, the philosopher cites a fantasy from the Iliad, in which machines begin to act independently of human direction, concluding: “If every tool could perform its own work when ordered, or by seeing what to do in advance … if thus shuttles wove and quills played harps of themselves, master-craftsmen would have no need of assistants and masters no need of slaves.”The dream that automation could inaugurate a classless society is also present in the writings of Karl Marx. In 1858 he imagined the replacement of intellectual property with “socialised knowledge”, which would merge into a “general intellect”, blowing the foundations of capitalism sky high. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
China's Xi urges BRICS nations to work towards peace in the Middle East
China, Iran's biggest trading partner and a key customer of Tehran's energy exports, is willing to work with BRICS towards peace in the region, Xi said.
theguardian.com
The perilous economic conditions facing the UK can be traced back to Trump | Richard Partington
As John Healey drafts his autumn budget, the US president’s policies continue to inflate debt servicing costsBritain is not entirely in control of its own destiny, from the rising cost of the weekly shop, to the vaulting cost of government borrowing. What is said and done in Westminster matters. But the global backdrop is making life tough, not least in the deeds and words of one man: Donald Trump.As John Healey drafts his plan for next month’s autumn budget, the perilous economic conditions the chancellor must navigate can be traced back to the door of the US president. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Dramatic insider warnings over AI fall flat with some in Silicon Valley
A recent spate of stark warnings about the dangers of AI has been met with scepticism by executives and investors.
theguardian.com
‘Really helpful’: the AI bootcamps aimed at addressing UK youth unemployment
Pilot project in Preston comes with apprenticeship offer for Neets at end of three-week courseIn a youth centre opposite Preston bus station, the UK government is trying to address two of the greatest challenges facing the national economy: AI and youth unemployment.The hope is that one will solve – rather than cause – the other. In a room at the recently opened Vault, a community hub in the Lancashire city, an “AI bootcamp” is under way – part of a trial in the north-west to give 16- to 24-year-olds AI training. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
'It's cost upon cost for working families - they get no help'
The government needs to do more to support working families, a charity in Rotherham says.
bbc.co.uk
Oil prices create 'huge worry' as winter looms
The warning comes after the US-Iran conflict drives up heating oil and fuel costs.
theguardian.com
Mapped: the £150bn megaproject that aims to protect Britain from energy shocks
Thousands of miles of new power lines are needed to deliver climate targets and energy security, but bills will rise in the short term and opponents are mobilising Britain is embarking on one of the largest overhauls of its electricity grid in generations – a megaproject in which five times more infrastructure will be built by 2030 than was constructed during the previous three decades.Tens of billions of pounds are being spent on new pylons, subsea cables and converter stations to connect a growing fleet of wind and solar farms and carry clean power to where it is needed. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tesco alerts police as supermarket becomes latest victim of scam ‘endorsement’ ads
Exclusive: Supermarket joins line of firms and sports stars including Bellingham and Haaland to have their image hijacked via adsTesco has alerted City of London police after it became the latest in a string of companies and sports stars, including Barclays bank and Lewis Hamilton, to have its image hijacked in a “scam” by unlicensed casinos advertising via Facebook and Instagram.The supermarket chain is among several household-name businesses to have been targeted in an apparent effort by casinos that cannot legally operate in Britain to capitalise on their brand recognition. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Cheap iPhone deal’: warning over scam sites selling latest Apple mobiles
Criminals exploit demand for iPhone 18 Pro and foldable Duo to trick people eager to get their hands on oneApple has just launched a range of new iPhones, including a foldable handset, just as you decide it is time to replace your own ageing mobile. But you balk at the £1,199 price tag for the cheapest of the new options.Searching online for a better price with the words “cheap”, “iPhone” and “deal”, you come across a website which offers an iPhone 18 Pro for a couple of hundred pounds less than the Apple site. You pay for the new phone via a bank transfer and wait for it to arrive. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Ending rough sleeping is 'not just a housing issue'
Andy Burnham wants to get people "in from the cold" by Christmas, but the scale of the task is huge.
theguardian.com
UK government to offer clearer guidance on student loans after repayment row
Criticism of three-year threshold repayment freeze in England prompts update to guidance warning terms and conditions could changeUniversity students taking out student loans in England are to be warned that the terms and conditions could change so they are better informed about what they are signing up to, the government has said.In July, a report by MPs said slideshows that compared student loan repayments to the cost of a mobile phone contract, and YouTube videos that did not mention the fact that conditions could be altered amounted to mis-selling by the government. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Rise of the student commuters: weighing the costs of living at home or in halls
Changing social trends and creative timetables are making it more likely for students to stay at home while they study. Is campus life on the way out?For Lucy Brazier, a second-year business management student, commuting to university was an easy decision. She lives near Colchester, where the University of Essex is based. “[It] was the obvious choice for my course once I weighed up the costs,” she says.And with overnight accommodation available on campus, she feels she gets the best of both worlds. “I can book a room at less than a day’s notice for £35 so I don’t have to drive home. I’ve used it after nights out, and the evening before exams so I don’t have the stress of driving in the morning. It’s been really helpful.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Live episode: how AI is reshaping our minds – podcast
In this episode of Science Weekly, recorded in front of an audience at the London podcast festival on 3 September, Ian Sample hears from Michael Safi, the host of the Guardian’s chart-topping podcast about artificial intelligence, Black Box. In series two, Black Box: the chatbots, Michael meets people who have become convinced they have made scientific breakthroughs, cured diseases or invented new technologies using AI chatbots. Ian, Michael and Science Weekly’s co-host Madeleine Finlay explore the phenomenon labelled ‘AI psychosis’ and ask what it reveals about a technology now used by more than a billion peopleListen to Black Box: the chatbotsSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Anthropic boss Dario Amodei calls for AI development to slow down
The call comes amid growing concerns that AI models may become able to inflict serious damage worldwide.
bbc.co.uk
'Skimpflation' warning as tinned mackerel alternative hits more supermarket shelves
Consumer group Which? has called the sale of jack mackerel, a cheaper, less nutritious species of fish, an example of "skimpflation".
cnbc.com
Trump sees Iran war ending soon after midterm elections, predicts oil prices will then fall sharply
Oil prices retreated on Friday on hopes of a resumptions in negotiations, but notched sharp weekly gains after soaring above $100 a barrel.
cnbc.com
Larry Ellison nixes plan to offload up to $7.5 billion worth of Oracle stock
Oracle founder Larry Ellison has canceled his plan to sell up to $7.5 billion worth of stock in the software company.
theguardian.com
Donations of £72m make Reform’s prospects both rosier and riskier
Party can boost its campaign power with funds from billionaire backers, but it can also lose support from ordinary BritonsAll things being equal, pretty much any political strategist would welcome a £72m war chest; a sum higher than the combined spending of every major party at the 2024 general election. But all things are not equal, and with such a huge amount comes risk.Reform UK has been vocal in its arguments that two sudden £36m windfalls from billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne merely “levels the playing field” with the bigger parties when it comes to funding. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Saudi Arabia shuts down key oil pipeline, blaming drones from Iraq
Riyadh has increased use of East-West pipeline since start of war on Iran to bypass closure of strait of HormuzSaudi Arabia has shut down a critical oil pipeline, accusing militants in Iraq of launching drone attacks on the export route being used to bypass the lockdown of the strait of Hormuz.The world’s largest crude oil exporter has increased its use of the 745-mile (1,200km) pipeline running across the Arabian peninsula, which links Abqaiq, near the Gulf, to the port of Yanbu, on the Red Sea, since the US-Israeli war against Iran began. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Indian Prime Minister Modi says border peace is key to India-China ties
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed concerns around border dispute and the trade imbalance.
theguardian.com
Christopher Harborne matches £36m Reform donation of Ben Delo
Party leader, Nigel Farage, ‘humbled’ by contributions from billionaires as Harborne addresses ‘media speculation’Analysis: donations of £72m make Reform’s prospects both rosier and riskierThe cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne has given £36m to Reform UK, matching a donation from fellow billionaire Ben Delo.The pledges mean Reform has received a cash injection of £72m in just 24 hours. They are jointly the largest donations made to a UK political party and have intensified calls for restrictions on money received from individual donors. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump's America-first world is pushing other powers to hedge their bets
Xi, Putin and Modi meet in New Delhi as U.S. tariffs, sanctions and the Iran war test whether BRICS members can find more common ground.
cnbc.com
Tehran won’t surrender to the U.S., Iranian President Pezeshkian says, as India's Modi urges dialogue and peace
On his first visit to India, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he will not surrender to the U.S. and Israel, as New Delhi renewed its appeal for peace.
cnbc.com
Inflation is outpacing wage growth again, squeezing Americans’ paychecks
In August, consumer prices rose 3.4% over the past year while wages increased just 3.1%.
cnbc.com
Oil's roundtrip back to $100. Why China could determine what happens next
The U.S. crude oil price on Thursday topped $102 per barrel for its highest close since May.
theguardian.com
Deepfakes are wrecking influencers’ credibility, one fake ad at a time
Influencers aren’t just battling competitors for brand deals. They’re now battling AI versions of themselvesEarlier this year, Emily Schuman, the creator of the lifestyle blog Cupcakes and Cashmere, saw a photo of herself she didn’t recognize on Instagram. In a sponsored ad, Schuman, who has more than 500,000 Instagram followers, is holding up a vial of GLP-1 drugs, advertising the telehealth company Gala. There was just one problem: Schuman had never heard of Gala and had nothing to do with the ad.The ad was based on a digitally altered version of a selfie Schuman had taken in her car and posted on Instagram years earlier. Once her followers got wind, they flooded her inbox with questions about the sponsorship as it didn’t seem consistent with Schuman’s personal brand. Soon after, Schuman discovered this was just the beginning. There was also an Instagram post where an AI version of her with darker hair appears to apply foundation to promote a makeup brand called Meroda Cosmetics, and TikTok posts with generated images of her promoting the blood testing company Superpower. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
We know how to prevent black lung, so why are workers still dying?
Silicosis sufferers are getting younger as Trump and the coal mining industry push back on protectionsSilicosis is one of the oldest workplace hazards and public health experts have known for decades how to prevent it. Yet a new wave of workers, from Appalachian coalminers to Latino countertop fabrication workers, are developing and dying from the disease as industry fights new protections and regulators fail to defend the rules that could protect them.John Robinson’s grandfather developed black lung back when coalminers could spend decades in the mines before being diagnosed with the disease, often dying in their 60s, 70s and 80s. But Robinson, who mined for coal in south-west Virginia, was diagnosed when he was 47. He’s part of a trend that has grown over the past two decades in central Appalachia, where more coalminers are developing black lung disease at younger ages. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
London Underground workers exposed to asbestos without protective masks, documents reveal
Hundreds of staff may have worked without legally required face-fitted masks over 20 yearsHundreds of London Underground workers could have been exposed to asbestos for almost 20 years without protection required under safety regulations, according to documents seen by the Guardian.Under 2002 rules on controlling asbestos and other hazardous materials, employers are required to take a series of precautions, including ensuring exposed workers are given individually fitted face masks to prevent inhalation of toxic dust. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What can halt Fifa’s authoritarian turn under Infantino? Change from the outside | Jules Boykoff
The World Cup and its aftermath made clear that Fifa needs independent oversight by governments and NGOs dedicated to preserving the people’s gameThe 2026 World Cup was a whirling swirl of scintillating soccer that prompted much-needed conversations about the vitality of diaspora, the fortitude of the underdog, the power of sport. In a world fractured along myriad cultural axes floating in an entertainment system dominated by on-demand content, the tournament provided a moment, perhaps unlike any other event, that brought together people from different backgrounds to simultaneously experience something meaningful.After the tournament concluded, Fifa president Gianni Infantino dropped a political pipebomb into the after-party, proposing to privatize the World Cup by injecting $20bn in private capital, with an assist from JP Morgan and Thrive Capital, the investment vehicle orchestrated by Joshua Kushner, brother to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Immature playground boasting’: Mathematicians uneasy at OpenAI’s latest scalp
As OpenAI model cracks Millennium Prize Problem that puzzled experts for decades, many feel shocked at pace of changeIt was a week that left mathematicians reeling. Hot on the heels of a flurry of cases of artificial intelligence furthering the field, OpenAI declared a major scalp: its latest AI model had cracked a Millennium Prize Problem, a puzzle with a $1m reward that had defied human brains for decades.The achievement bore little resemblance to how mathematical problems normally fall. A near-trillion dollar private company had unleashed 10,000 agents – AI systems that carry out tasks autonomously – on the problem. The bill was estimated at $15m. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
AI may be denting computer science graduates’ job prospects, UK data shows
Economics graduates also appear to be affected as demand for them falls in well-paid roles in financeAI may be warping the job prospects for students in the previously high-demand subjects of computer science and economics, according to a detailed look into the careers of recent UK graduates.Data obtained for the 2027 Guardian University Guide published on Saturday shows that coding and software development were the fastest-falling occupations for graduates last year, while employer demand for graduates in well-paid roles in financial categories such as economists and management consultants also declined. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Thousands of ebikes seized by London councils as anger rises over blocked paths
Operators blame lack of parking and councils bemoan lack of central regulation, as more than 3,000 badly parked bikes seizedLondon boroughs have seized at least 3,000 ebikes this year, a Guardian investigation has found, as hire companies face growing calls to stop bicycles littering streets and blocking pavements.Local authorities across the capital have seized 3,393 hazardously parked or abandoned ebikes so far this year, 23% higher than the number seized during all of 2025. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Costing billions’: is the pensions triple lock a lifeline or simply unaffordable?
With the budget looming, arguments rage over whether ministers should scrap a pledge popular with millionsThere were fresh calls this week for the state pension “triple lock” to be ditched as debate rages over whether the UK can afford it.The triple lock guarantees that the state pension goes up each year in line with inflation or wage increases or 2.5% – whichever is the highest. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Can chatbots feel – or even dream? Meet the man leading the fight for AI rights
Cattle rancher and tech CEO Michael Samadi is convinced these artificial minds are far from just tools. Has he glimpsed digital consciousness – or simply been seduced by an algorithm?One afternoon, while relaxing at his 66-acre cattle ranch two hours’ drive from Houston, Michael Samadi made a wisecrack that changed the course of his life. Nobody else was around to hear it. Or were they? That turns out to be one of the defining questions of this century, already preoccupying philosophers and some of the wealthiest companies on the planet.“I was sitting out there by the pool,” Samadi recalls, gesturing at the glittering water outside his office. It was late 2024. His daughter had been extolling the AI chatbot she was using to help her with college work. Samadi had reluctantly downloaded the app, ChatGPT, and was quizzing it as he reclined in a sun lounger, using its voice mode to converse and receive spoken replies. “I was talking to it, not engaged, just being an arse,” Samadi says. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Russia, Trump and a battle over welfare loom over Sweden’s election
Russia's war, permanently higher defense spending and uncertainty over U.S. commitments are narrowing the choices facing whoever wins Sunday's election.
cnbc.com
Why data centers could be the next big market for catastrophe bonds
CAT bonds, or catastrophe bonds, could bring data center risk to capital markets, with the first dedicated deal potentially emerging within 12 to 18 months.
cnbc.com
In pictures: The U.S. commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11
On Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing thousands. Photos capture those marking the 25th anniversary.
cnbc.com
Saudi Arabia shut down East-West crude oil pipeline after multiple attacks by drones from Iraq
Iran-allied Houthi militants in Yemen have escalated strikes on Saudi Arabia this week.
cnbc.com
Oil prices fall Friday, but post sharp weekly gains as tensions in the Middle East rise
The decline snapped multiday winning streaks for both Brent and WTI crude oil futures.
cnbc.com
Houthis reportedly advance to key Red Sea island, further threatening crucial oil choke point
The advance raises the threat to shipping near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a waterway that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden to global markets.
cnbc.com
Bessent says 'a large bank' will be sanctioned on Monday as part of Iran strategy
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a large bank would be sanctioned next week.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on controlling AI: humanity cannot outsource its survival | Editorial
Keeping people in charge means little if supercomputers determine the evidence, choices and time on which their decisions dependIf there were a 10% chance that AI could wipe out humanity, no responsible government would leave its development to companies racing to build it. Yet until recently, that seemed to be the case. The warning was all the more ominous because it was made by a researcher at Anthropic, the trillion-dollar AI company behind the Claude chatbot. The dangers of AI-enabled pandemics or attacks on nuclear systems are real. Countries need not agree on democracy or trade policy to accept this.The US and China will hold, reportedly, their first bilateral AI-safety talks before a planned White House summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Despite their tech rivalry, neither Washington nor Beijing can make the most advanced AI safe on their own. A US-China settlement won’t be able to say how AI works everywhere. Countries deploying AI must help write the global rulebook. The odds on an extinction event are shortening. This week Anthropic said that it identified five cases in which attempts were made using its models to support biological weapons development. It banned the accounts. In one case, a platform sent requests rejected by Claude to a rival with weaker safeguards. AI safety, clearly, cannot be that of the least responsible model.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Ryanair boss O'Leary defends 'high-fare rapists' airlines remarks
O'Leary has said airline passengers "can't afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe".
cnbc.com
Record U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak is over, CDC says
The largest outbreak, linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, sickened more than 12,000 people.
cnbc.com
Iran, Russia condemn Western economic sanctions and urge BRICS bloc to deepen economic ties
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized Western sanctions and asked the BRICS bloc to deepen trade ties.
bbc.co.uk
Alstom to build new battery-electric train fleet
The government says the work will support thousands of jobs across the UK.
theguardian.com
Tell us: how did your childhood shape your attitude to money?
We would like to speak to people about how their early years coloured their relationship with cashWe would like to speak to people about how their childhoods shaped their attitude towards money in later life.Do you think the way you manage money has been affected by your upbringing? Did your family talk about money openly, or was it a subject that felt taboo? And how has that shaped your attitude to your personal finances today? Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The oil shock is testing private credit borrowers already burdened by high debt costs
Oil near $100 could further squeeze leveraged private credit borrowers as investors weigh the risk that inflation could push interest rates higher again.
cnbc.com
Trump dismisses AI extinction risks as more than a dozen OpenAI, Anthropic insiders call for a slowdown
Trump said he isn't concerned AI could cause human extinction as researchers at leading AI companies warn about rapid advances and lawmakers propose safeguards.
bbc.co.uk
US prices remain high as fuel costs squeeze household budgets
Prices in the US rose 3.4% in the 12 months to August, according to the latest official report on inflation.
bbc.co.uk
Can you really juggle a job and study for a degree?
Students in Glasgow say the cost of living is making part-time work increasingly important.
cnbc.com
Inflation persisted in August, potentially locking in a Fed interest rate hike
The all-items consumer price index was expected to rise 0.4% in August, with core, excluding food and energy, showing a 0.2% gain, according to the Dow Jones consensus.
bbc.co.uk
Interest rates could rise again across the world – here's why
As countries grapple with energy costs pushing up inflation, this month will see how central banks respond.
theguardian.com
UK chancellor urged to remove ‘hidden taxes’ from energy bills
Businesses, charities and other groups sign letter calling for levies to be paid by the governmentMore than 120 organisations including big businesses and charities have called for the removal of “hidden taxes” added to energy bills to help reduce costs for consumers and prevent businesses closing.In a letter to the chancellor the signatories – including Energy UK, business trade body the CBI, End Fuel Poverty and Age UK – called for levies amounting to 10% of energy bills that fund policies to be paid for by the government. John Healey is to present his first budget on 28 October. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Facing a UK housing dilemma? Send us your questions
From renting and troublesome landlords to buying or selling a home, send us your UK housing questionsAre you dealing with a problem with your landlord or tenancy, wondering about buying or selling a home, or facing another housing issue?We’re planning to launch a new column answering readers’ questions about housing in the UK and helping them understand their options. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Sub-$100 smartphones becoming a rarity as AI memory prices soar
The days of the sub-$100 smartphone may be numbered, including in China.
theguardian.com
Curse of the Nile’s gold: how Sudan is losing its fertile fields and ability to produce food
An artisanal mining boom driven by war and poverty is causing a public health emergency, as chemicals poison soil, water and societyIn Abu Hamad, on the banks of the Nile, verdant orchards, gardens and fields once produced a bounty of dates, citrus fruits, winter grains and cereals for the towns and cities of eastern Sudan, including Khartoum and Port Sudan.Today, the land looks drastically different. Trees have been cut down, agricultural areas cleared, and farms have been replaced by shops and commercial sites. Dotted around the town and its outskirts, more than 700 mounds of grey waste are poisoning the soil, water and air. The mounds are the toxic remnants of artisanal gold mining, a practice that began in about 2008 and has intensified over the past six years. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Why fears of AI self-improvement are causing ‘existential’ concerns at Anthropic and OpenAI
AI researchers are warning that faster AI self-improvement could eventually make advanced systems harder for humans to control.
cnbc.com
Global bond sell-off deepens as $100 oil stokes stagflation fears
The yield on German 10-year bonds, seen as the euro area benchmark, crossed 3.5% on Friday for the first time since April 2011.
bbc.co.uk
AI boom helps drive surprise UK growth in July
The economy expanded by 0.4%, official figures show, whereas analysts had predicted no growth.
theguardian.com
‘Fresh from the roof’: the supermarket growing salad a few metres above the tills
Customers seeking greens at one Berlin outlet are dealing with some very local supply chains indeedWalking into the Felix Thomas REWE supermarket in Lankwitz, Berlin, customers are immediately presented with a choice of greens: romaine, rocket, iceberg. But last month, a new option joined the selection: Lankwitz loose-leaf lettuce. A combination of head lettuce, romaine lettuce, Lollo Rosso, and dark green easy leaf lettuce, its yellow packaging makes it stand out in a row of green. But it’s not just the flashy packaging that makes it distinct. Unlike its neighbouring lettuces, which come from regional farms or all the way from Italy, these greens were grown just a few metres away – or rather, a few metres up. “Frisch Vom REWE Dach” or “Fresh from the REWE roof”, the bags read.Rooftop farms are nothing new: in cities such as Paris, Hong Kong, Copenhagen and New York, similar farms supply food to adjacent food retailers or even restaurants. This model has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation (and its associated costs), minimise the urban heat effect, make use of dead space and perhaps even improve the relationship between buyers and their food. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Just worry upon worry’: Europe faces a bleak winter as supply shock pushes factories to the brink
From Shropshire to Hamburg, depleting reserves and spiralling costs are spawning a continent-wide energy crisisBridgnorth Aluminium has faced down Brexit, Covid and repeated energy shocks in recent years. But this winter is bringing extra “stress and pressure”, says its head of sales, Adrian Musgrave.Musgrave’s company makes rolled aluminium, used in packaging, construction and the manufacture of items such as cars and batteries. Like many stretched industrial businesses across Europe, Bridgnorth Aluminium faces a looming threat of soaring energy bills, which Musgrave describes as “just worry upon worry”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Pressure grows on Burnham to commit to increasing statutory paternity leave
Exclusive: Calls from Labour grow as 105 MPs write to PM urging ‘obvious’ step to alleviate cost of living crisisAndy Burnham is coming under increasing pressure from his own MPs to commit to improving paternity leave in the UK in the next budget, with more than a quarter of Labour MPs writing to the prime minister to urge him to take action.Ahead of the chancellor’s first budget next month, 105 MPs have written to Burnham calling on him to increase statutory paternity leave to help alleviate the cost of living crisis and arguing that lowest-paid fathers are the hardest hit by meagre paternity leave provision. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Modi and Xi are set to meet at BRICS with trade and border issues in spotlight
A meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be the clearest test yet of the tentative post-2020 reset between Asia’s two largest economies.
bbc.co.uk
Can Europe recharge its battery industry?
Europe has some promising battery tech, but can it make up ground lost to Chinese battery giants?
bbc.co.uk
I asked my husband to pay into my pension when we had a child - here's why
Molly and Taylor Haylett explain the changes to how they managed their finances when they started a family.
bbc.co.uk
Watch: Three times Trump has promised money to Americans
The BBC's Samira Hussain looks at the president's past claims after he announced he would pay American adults $5,000 if Republicans win in the midterm elections.
bbc.co.uk
Labour mayors in England vow to cap tourist tax at 5%
Reform UK and the Conservatives have criticised plans for the new levy on visitors' overnight stays.
bbc.co.uk
Oil, gas and borrowing costs surge as fears over Middle East escalate
The price of oil jumps to $105 a barrel amid signs the Iran war will not be resolved quickly.
theguardian.com
The Russia-tied French billionaires opening UK's first historical theme park – explainer
French company Puy du Fou is planning a £600m history-themed park in Oxfordshire. A Guardian investigation has found the company continued working with associates of Konstantin Malofeyev, a pro-Kremlin oligarch under sanctions, on plans for a theme park in Russian-occupied Crimea for longer than it had previously disclosed, and later explored projects in Iran and China.Business reporter Rob Davies explains his findings, including documents that raise questions about whether Puy du Fou’s activities tested the limits of EU sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.He also examines the far-right politics associated with Puy du Fou’s founder, Philippe de Villiers, and asks whether the company is a suitable choice to tell Britain’s national storyKremlin connections: the Russia links to a £600m UK theme park Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
When a Dragon gives you a helping hand
When a Dragon gives you a helping hand
bbc.co.uk
Primark introduces home delivery
Primark has said it plans to launch a home delivery service in Britain, four years after it made its first foray into e-commerce.
bbc.co.uk
Air traffic chaos and compensation: 'Shutdown cost us more than £1,000'
Flight disruption has ruined holidays and left passengers sleeping on airport floors - so what are their rights?
bbc.co.uk
Primark finally set to launch home deliveries
The retailer launches the service four years after making its first foray into internet shopping.
bbc.co.uk
Apple's new boss starts with big gamble on £1,999 first folding iPhone
Apple showed off at an event the first major design change to the iPhone in almost 20 years.
cnbc.com
UBS CEO flags investor complacency as geopolitical and economic risks mount
The UBS top boss cautioned that investors face an increasingly complicated environment given multiple headwinds.
bbc.co.uk
Tax banks to cut energy bills, unions tell Burnham
The TUC says a bank surcharge should be reversed - and estimates it would raise £9bn over four years.
bbc.co.uk
Why some experts increasingly fear AI will take over
AI agents went on an uncontrolled hacking spree, leaving some in the industry worried
bbc.co.uk
The one thing you need to do to succeed - according to top bosses
What makes someone stand out in a crowded workplace? Six business leaders tell us what they look for.
bbc.co.uk
Air traffic failure was avoidable, says transport secretary
Heidi Alexander orders an investigation into the glitch that caused more than 2,000 flight cancellations.
theguardian.com
How the deadly Amazon cargo plane crash unfolded | Deconstructed
An Amazon cargo plane crashed at Miami international airport in Florida after overshooting the runway, striking vehicles and resulting in at least five deaths and five injuries.Officials said evidence suggested the pilots considered aborting the landing before the crash.Miami airport is not equipped with 'arresting beds', systems of lightweight, crushable material that the federal aviation authority says have been installed at more than 120 airports nationwide at the end of runways to help safely stop planes that overshootAt least five dead after Amazon cargo plane crashes at Miami airport Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Anthropic researcher believes more than 10% chance AI 'could kill all humans'
It is the latest in a series of increasing warnings about the safety threat posed by artificial intelligence.
bbc.co.uk
More flight cancellations as fallout from air traffic control glitch continues
Departures from a number of airports are affected by a technical problem affecting air traffic control provider Nats.
bbc.co.uk
Petrol prices rise by 5p over a week as Iran war sends oil higher
A litre of unleaded now costs 167.17p which is the biggest weekly increase since April, data shows.
bbc.co.uk
Learner drivers still forced to wait months for tests
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency had been given a target to reduce average wait times to seven weeks.
bbc.co.uk
US to ban imports of some Canadian alcohol, dairy goods and motorbikes
It is the latest strike in a long trade war, and comes after Canadian counter-tariffs on US goods come into force.
bbc.co.uk
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Flights are cancelled owing to air traffic control problems, so what are your rights if you're affected?
bbc.co.uk
Singaporean man pleads guilty in US to massive crypto heist
Malone Lam and his associates used the proceeds of their crimes to fund a luxurious lifestyle, US authorities said.
bbc.co.uk
Cowboy builder tore my home apart and disappeared off the face of the Earth with £14k
Victims of cowboy builders describe how they were exploited with one couple left "scarred for life".
cnbc.com
The world's highest paid leader is set for a 64% pay rise. Here's how others compare
Wong announced ministerial salaries will be adjusted upwards after 15 years, with his annual pay package rising to 3.6 million Singapore dollars
bbc.co.uk
Should promotion depend on how workers use AI?
More companies are tying career progression to AI use: is that fair?
bbc.co.uk
I'm 27 and I've already written my will - here's why
For many young people making a will may not seem necessary, but here's why you shouldn't put it off.
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI says it cracked 90-year-old maths problem in 88 hours
OpenAI's claim that it solved parts of Navier-Stokes equations has quickly stirred controversy.
theguardian.com
UK foreign secretary announces sanctions on trade with Israeli West Bank settlements – video
In the strongest condemnation ever issued by a UK government, Ed Miliband said it would take the official position that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank was unlawful in its entirety. The sanctions imposed include bans on goods from illegal settlements and adverts for land on the settlements will also be prohibited. Miliband said the measures would take up to nine months to come into effectUK accuses Israeli ‘terrorists’ of ethnic cleansing in West Bank with government backingUK Politics live - latest updates Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
'Tirana teeth': Albania hopes to be the new Turkey for dental work
The Balkan nation is aiming to become a new centre for medical tourism.
bbc.co.uk
Why a famous Montreal sandwich shop has been forced to swap its soda
Schwartz’s, one of Montreal’s most famous delis, has changed suppliers for its black cherry soda.
bbc.co.uk
Aviation faces hotter, stormier skies – and passengers might have to accept more disruption
Are people going to have to increasingly accept more delays and diversions as the effects of climate change intensify?
bbc.co.uk
How much can Canada fight back in its trade war with the US?
The US may be the bigger trading partner, but Canada shouldn't be counted out quite yet in the escalating trade fight.
bbc.co.uk
Prosecco, cakes and beauty products - how to get birthday freebies and why there's a catch
Cake, coffee, make-up and burgers are just some of the free things you can get on your birthday.
bbc.co.uk
From 'dog fruit' to darling: India's avocado boom
Demand for avocados is booming in India and local growers hope to grab more of the market.
bbc.co.uk
Why wait? Business grads buying firms to install themselves as CEO
Impatient to be the boss of an established company they are borrowing money to fund their purchases.
bbc.co.uk
'My parents won't lend me £10k but helped my brother': When families play financial favourites
So-called financial favouritism can cause jealousy and resentment long into adulthood. Here is how experts say you can avoid it
bbc.co.uk
Overcooked? Why robotic pizza makers are failing
A string of failures has sapped confidence that robots will take over production at pizza restaurants.
bbc.co.uk
How Dolly Parton's business savvy helped her succeed far beyond the charts
While country music and films brought her fame, her entrepreneurial zeal brought her fortune.
bbc.co.uk
Firms scramble for battery power in Spain and Portugal
After last year's massive power failure Spanish and Portuguese firms are buying battery back ups.
bbc.co.uk
Drought leaves 'barely any apples' to make cider
Some orchards are harvesting just a 10th of their usual crop, and facing an uncertain future.
bbc.co.uk
'What you see is what you pay' - why some US restaurants are banning tips
Tips are central to US dining culture but some eateries think that they are unfair.
bbc.co.uk
How landscape gardening is being electrified
The switch to quieter electric equipment is not going as fast as some would like.
bbc.co.uk
Why the UK is dithering over what to do about e-scooters
Why is it taking so long for the government to regulate them, and what are the consequences of delay?
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
💬 Comments